cnn
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Venus Williams turned back time with a classic performance to secure her first win against a top 20 player in four years.
Williams, 43, defeated Russian Veronika Kudermetova 6-4, 7-5 on Monday in the first round of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati.
Kudermetova is ranked 16th in the tournament and was expected to overtake Williams, but the seven-time Grand Slam winner had other ideas.
“Definitely the satisfaction today comes from all the work that goes into just being here,” the American veteran said after the victory.
“I did my best to be here as soon as possible in the best shape I could at that time. That makes it satisfying to be able to get a win with very little time to prepare.”
In both sets, Williams found herself 4-1 down and at a disadvantage, but, as on so many occasions throughout her career, she found a way to fight back.
“I think at some point, when you're losing a double break, you start to think, 'Well, at least I want to hold serve for the rest of this set,'” Williams said. “Simple thoughts like that. Then you get a little closer. You're like, 'Okay, maybe I just want to earn another point.'
“There are definitely big holes today that I normally don't play… But that's tennis. “That's what's so exciting.”
Williams will now wait to see who she faces in the next round in Cincinnati as she continues her preparation ahead of the 2023 US Open.
Her previous victory against a top-20 opponent also came at the Western & Southern Open in 2019, when she defeated Kiki Bertens in the second round.
